


Fun and Perky

by gemgirl28



Series: Zutara Happily Ever After [5]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Bladebabies?, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, I kind of like Bladebabies, More Fluff, One Shot, Post-Canon, Snowball Fight, Steambabies - Freeform, What are we calling Sokka and Suki's kids?, With a healthy serving of sibling angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:42:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27883963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gemgirl28/pseuds/gemgirl28
Summary: Katara and Zuko take the kids to the Southern Water Tribe for a visit.
Relationships: Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Series: Zutara Happily Ever After [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2034508
Comments: 10
Kudos: 60





	Fun and Perky

**Author's Note:**

> Who is ready for another serving of fluff? This time on the side of some sibling angst.
> 
> As always thank you @hereforthezutarastuff for beta reading. YOU are a gem!!

No matter how many times she came back, Katara couldn’t quite shake the feeling of nostalgia when she arrived in the Southern Water Tribe.

Yes, her tribe was flourishing. The buildings were more permanent and required less work to maintain. They had access to resources that they’d only dreamed of when she was a kid. The eliminated fear of raids from the Fire Nation elevated everyone’s mood.

That didn’t mean she didn’t miss the simple village she grew up in.

Still, one of the biggest changes she still was coming to terms with was her own brother’s impending Cheifdom. After the end of the war, Hakoda spent more and more time teaching Sokka about his duties and the responsibilities he would have when he took over. Since then, the dynamic of their relationship shifted. Though Katara worried it might never be the same, her motivation to fight past the awkwardness returning home waned with each visit. Katara knew Sokka was ready, that he was a brilliant strategist and brave warrior who was fiercely dedicated to their people.

But he was still her idiot brother. An idiot brother that had done quite well for himself, managing to convince Suki to marry him and even have a few kids of their own.

From the looks of it, Suki and the two little ones were waiting at the docks to greet her. Katara smiled and waved at her family, prompting Kya and Izumi to wave as well.

“C’mon girls, let’s grab your brother and father to see Aunt Suki,” Katara said, ushering them into the cabin where Zuko was playing with Lu Ten.

“We’re about to dock,” she said, coming up behind Zuko, “looks like Suki and the kids are waiting for us.”

“What, we aren’t good enough for Sokka?” he joked, then planted a kiss on her forehead while bundling up Lu Ten. Katara double checked the girl’s parkas and mittens before they all headed to the deck.

“He might be on a hunt. It is tiger-seal season after all,” she explained, trying to rationalize all the reasons why her brother wasn’t waiting for her. The gangplank settled in place for less than a second before Izumi was running down, racing into Suki’s arms.

“Izumi wait! I mean- ugh,” Zuko sighed, realizing she was already safe before he started yelling.

“Next time try before they lower the walkway,” Katara teased, sticking out her tongue when Zuko harrumphed. She immediately went to hug Suki, who gushed over Kya and Lu Ten before hugging Zuko. Amarok awkwardly hugged Izumi (clearly in the phase where he thought all girls were gross) while Tapeesa clung to her older cousin.

“Sorry Sokka couldn’t wait with me. He and your father got caught up in a trade meeting, but we should see them after lunch,” Suki said. As she led them through town, Suki pointed out new stores or houses with her free hand and pulled Izumi along with the other. Tapeesa clung to Izumi’s side, ever eager to follow in her older cousin’s footsteps. Amarok became Zuko’s shadow, curios about his Uncle but too shy to ask the probing questions Izumi asked of Suki.

Katara felt another shiver of nostalgia run through her before she felt Zuko’s hand on her back. He always knew when she needed a small touch, just enough to ground and center her.

Katara bit her bottom lip. Zuko, either unaware of the tension between the Water Tribe siblings or confident in their ability to work out their own issues, said nothing. For no more than a moment, she wished he would ask. The candle flame of an idea was quickly snuffed out when she considered his relationship with his own sister, having barely reconciled to the point of seeing each other again.

After their short walk through town, the small army of children and outnumbered adults arrived in front of the entrance to Gran Gran’s. Stepping into the abode, Katara immediately took in the smell of a homely broth wafting towards them. She spied Gran Gran huddled over a pot, sure to contain her favorite five flavor soup.

Gran Gran looked up from her pot and a warm smile graced her features. She made her way around, hugging each of her great-grandkids and giving them a kiss before hugging Katara and Zuko. Katara tried to hide her grin at the flush rising in Zuko’s cheeks. Even now, even after everything they had built together, he still got so shy around Gran Gran.

As Gran Gran finished her rounds, Katara moved to the pot to check on lunch. The closer she moved towards the cooking, the more Katara’s mouth watered. Suki roped Amarok and Izumi into setting the table while Katara bent the soup into bowls. Katara warmed up from the cooking fire as much as from the realization that Gran Gran made her favorite soup special for her. After a couple weeks at sea, it was exactly what she needed.

During the meal, the kids competed to hold their great-grandmother’s attention. Amarok and Tapeesa described the most recent hunt, while Izumi regaled them all with stories of the Fire Nation. Her toddler siblings babbled over her story, but Gran Gran managed to smile, nod, and oooh and aaahh at all the right points in the tales. All the while Katara and Zuko did their best to sneak food into their kid’s chattering mouths.

After lunch Zuko and Suki helped Gran Gran with dishes as Katara settled the twins in for a nap. Izumi, convinced by Amarok, decided she didn’t need a nap. Katara shook her head but let her head outside with her cousins to play, hoping she would wear herself out sooner rather than later.

Katara was debating if she could sneak in a nap herself when Sokka, Hakoda, and Pakku entered through the flap in the hut. Katara stood and embraced everyone, fighting the tears that involuntarily sprung to her eyes when the overwhelming feel of _home_ washed over while hugging her dad. Luckily, she could always count on Sokka’s bad jokes to wipe away the tears.

“Katara, your hair looks great!” Sokka exclaimed after hugging her.

“Thanks!” she said, beaming up at him.

“Yeah, you know I really love how it lets the other moms know that you’re fun and perky!” he exclaimed, and Katara had to fight from groaning out loud. Instead she grinned and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Yeah, just like your ponytail!” she jabbed, and Sokka’s grin quickly faded to a scowl.

“For the last time, it’s a WARRIOR’S WOLF TAIL!” he shouted, and Katara hit him a little when Lu Ten started to stir.

“Same difference,” she muttered after she is content that her son was still napping.

“Sorry,” he mouthed when she glared at him. Hakoda cleared his throat awkwardly.

“I think I’m going to head outside and play with my grandkids. Anyone care to join me?” he asked with a pointed look at Katara and Sokka.

“We’ll watch the little ones,” Gran Gran volunteered herself and Pakku.

“I’m going to make sure everything made it off the ship ok,” Zuko said, kissing the top of Katara’s head as he exits the hut.

Katara clenched her jaw at the subtle chiding but still managed to smile at her father. “C’mon Sokka, when’s the last time I properly whipped you in a snowball fight?” she said as she pulled her mittens back on.

“As if, you only ever win when you cheat with your magic water!” he exclaimed. Katara smirked at him as she followed Hakoda and Suki outside.

The snowball fight was more of what Katara needed. For a few moments she felt like a child again, the rush of the challenge pumping adrenaline through her veins. She was careful to focus her efforts on Sokka and did her best to avoid Amarok. Shouts of “Get him Mom!” and “C’mon Dad!” echoed around the courtyard. She only used her waterbending to clobber Sokka once, though she would deny it with her dying breath.

Inevitably it turned into a girls vs boys fight. Sokka complained loudly about Suki’s betrayal as she pelted him with another snowball. Izumi seized the opportunity to claim victory for the girls and shoved slush down Sokka’s parka.

By the time Katara bent all the snow out of their clothes, the kids were finally ready for a nap. Suki and Hakoda led them back into the house to lay them down, but Sokka threw his arm around Katara and tugged her away from the house.

“I wanna show you something,” he said, leading her out of town.

“Where are we heading?” she asked, letting her arm hook with his.

“You’ll see,” he said, in what she knew was supposed to be his mysterious voice.

It wasn’t long before Katara spotted Sokka’s not-so-secret-surprise. She raised an eyebrow as she turned to him.

“Why are we-”

“At the old Fire Nation shipwreck? I thought you’d want to see where you and Zuko’s story began,” he said, sounding surprisingly serious for once.

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, Zuko once told me he had almost given up when he stumbled upon us. Do you know the only reason he didn’t sail to the coast of the Earth Kingdom and start a new life?”

“The flare,” Katara whispered, but Sokka heard her. He nodded.

“Can you imagine telling that Katara, the one who could barely waterbend and hated the Fire Nation, that one day she’d be the Fire Lady?” Sokka asked reverently. She knew he didn’t mean to make her doubt herself, to make her doubt her forgiveness, but tears still sprung to the corners of her eyes.

“No, I can’t. Just like I can’t imagine telling her that her idiot older brother would someday be married to a woman who is incredibly out of his league OR that she would willingly have kids with him OR that he would be training to be Chief-”

The tears flowed down her cheeks as she breaks on the last word. There it was, the source of all her guilt. She had left her homeland and now ruled the very nation that took her mother from her. Meanwhile Sokka was getting ready to lead their tribe. She couldn’t fight the sobs as Sokka wrapped her in a bear hug.

“I know sis, me either,” he whispered.

“Sometimes I’m really proud of you, you know,” she said after collecting herself. She didn’t have the energy for the nickname _tearbender_ to resurface.

Sokka smiled warmly down at her and placed his hand on her shoulder. “I’m always proud of you, and I know Mom is too,” he said.

“You think so?” she asked, hating how unsure of herself she sounded.

“I know so. I mean, look at all you’ve done! Ending the Hundred Year war, serving as Ambassador, becoming the Fire Lady while still advising the jerkbender-in-charge in worldly affairs, and now you’re raising three adorable kids at that? You’re doing amazing things,” he gushed. Her heart hurt just a little, in the best way, as she hugged him.

“Thanks, Sokka, but I stand by my belief that your greatest achievement is marrying Suki,” she half-joked. He laughed anyways.

“You aren’t wrong there,” he said.

They stood, staring out past the wreckage of the old ship at the blue and white horizon, each lost in their own thoughts for a few minutes.

Ten years ago, heck even before Izumi was born, Katara would have given up at the sight of the wreckage. The place that had haunted her childhood, her memories of losing her mother, would have been too real for her to see how far she had come, or even how far the whole world had come.

Now, though, she had time and experience. She had forgiven the people who earned it and put away those who hadn’t. She traveled throughout the Fire Nation, as a spy, then a friend to the Fire Lord, and now the Fire Lady. Each time she visited the countryside, she discovered something new to fall in love with, from the incredible landscapes and fauna to even a few dishes she now called some of her favorite meals. During their most recent tour, the music left her in awe, especially once she roped Zuko into pulling out his old tsungi horn. Whether foe, friend, or Fire Lady, she had fallen in love with the people of the Fire Nation. She was inspired by their energy, and it drove her commitment to fighting for their wellbeing.

She remembered something Iroh once told her about the Four Nations not being so different. She realized she hadn’t been fair, to herself or to Sokka, in her comparison of their roles. Living in the Fire Nation didn’t mean she has betrayed her people. If anything, she had found a way to advocate for them that is different (but maybe equal) to the way Sokka would soon advocate for them as Chief. All the tension between them evaporated at her realization.

As she turned to Sokka, she thought maybe her idiot older brother knew exactly what she needed. Maybe he had wised up enough to recognize her pain before she could put it into words. She pulled him in for one more hug before hooking her arm in his to lead him back to Gran Grans. “C’mon,” she said, “I need to get the twins up from their nap so they don’t keep me up all night.”

“What happened to rising with the moon, waterbender?” he teased, and she snorted.

“Three kids, that’s what happened,” and Sokka laughed.

By the time she had the twins up and toddling around, chasing after their sister, Zuko was back. He gave her a kiss then studied her for a moment.

“Is everything alright? You seem… different,” he carefully said. She smiled, bringing a hand up to caress his face.

“Everything’s good. I’m just enjoying being home with my family,” she said.

And, for the first time since she left home, she truly means it.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think of this series!! I love any and all feedback! And come say hi on tumblr @gemgirl28


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